by Rasbert Turner, Portmore Star Writer

A Portmore politician is now in police custody on fraud charges, THE PORTMORE STAR understands.

The politician, who ran as a candidate for one of the parliamentary seats in Portmore in the recently-held general elections, has been charged with attempting to obtain money by means of false pretence, police say.

He has been identified as 56-year-old Denzil Taylor of West Cave Hill, Hellshire, St Catherine.

Taylor, who contested the September 3, general elections on the National Democratic Movement's ticket for the St Catherine South constituency, was arrested on Thursday by Detective Corporal Dennis Davis of the Greater Portmore Police Station's Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB).

It is alleged that Taylor collected US$2,000 from a woman, telling her that he was an immigration agent and could get a visa for her. The visa, however, did not come through and the woman's money was not returned. A report was made to the police, and he was held in Portmore on Thursday.

The police told THE PORTMORE STAR that they also seized several passports from Taylor's residence. The offence for which Taylor has been charged was, reportedly, committed in early 2005, but Taylor apparently proved to be elusive, which resulted in the police taking long to catch up with him.